Review of ‘One Small Step’: “There’s notions to take in stride”

London’s Charing Cross Theatre hosts the English-language premiere of Takuya Kato’s intimate play, exploring the clashing views of an expecting couple living in the not-too-distant future.  Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its wandering narrative is worth a leap of faith.

If there’s something fiction has taught me about reality is that humanity doesn’t evolve as much as we think – it just reimagines the way they deal with the same problems they keep bringing on themselves (I just realised I’m starting to talk like Mark Zuckerberg…). Either set in the world of today, tomorrow or yesterday, the conflictive (and too often, contradictory) nature that defines our essence has and will always keep a similar pulse all throughout our existence. No matter what we do or where we are, the basics of our goals, passions and motivations remain unaltered.

This month, London’s Charing Cross Theatre moves to a different location (only in creative terms, that is) with the arrival of the Japanese play One Small Step. Carried out in collaboration with the Umeda Arts Theatre, the script takes us into an imminent futurist setting, where two space scientist discuss the arrangements for their upcoming trip to the moon. But what began as a casual, almost trivial conversation will soon turn into something more deeper, serious and, potentially, life-changing – but not necessarily for the better…

Penned by Takuya Kato, the piece explores the couple’s confronting views, whose relationship goes beyond their professional endeavours, as they consider the possibility of having or not having the child they already expect, and the outcomes such decision would bring to each other. An engaging, much promising premise regardless of its frequency in recent new works, Kato’s writing manages to capture the audience through excellently paced dialogue that flaunts both truthfulness and profundity.

However, there’s a lack of structure when it comes to the overall rhythm of the material – able to introduce us and help us dive into the conflict with sufficient ease, but struggling to set up enough evolution, and let alone craft a proper wrap-up for the storms it unravels. In addition, though bringing out honesty and capable of delivering a personal (though still not much robust) voice, the text exudes, nonetheless, a tendency to preach – granting room for one of the characters to express herself, but relegating the other into a corner from which he can barely speak up.

In any case, some acknowledgement must be given to both the staging and performances – admittedly posing as the most solid elements in the entire production. Designed by Mila Clark, the clean, modernist style of her approach (putting the actors inside a fenced revolving platform, combined with the use of live onstage recordings projected simultaneously) proves tremendous effectiveness – evoking a sense of nearby fantasy, while also enhancing the play’s rational ethos through the documentary vibes of its aesthetics.

On the other hand, both leads Mark Takeshi Ota and Susan Momoko Hingley regale us with a compelling rendition that oozes confidence and chemistry. Flaunting great rapport in their execution, both performances are able to entice and, eventually, captivate. Yet, there’s still a missing when it comes to the credibility of their bond – as, despite demonstrating a full-bodied partnership under the spotlight, the romantic background that construes their connection feels rough and, sometimes, unreachable for the spectator.

A tale of the future that resonates with both our present and past, One Small Step walks us into an appealing, stimulating jaunt that boasts enormous possibilities, but gets lost in its owm attempts by diverting too far away from its path, and trying to tell us what to think instead of provoking thought. Perhaps too rushed, and surely not finished, there’s still opportunity for piece to draw out its full potential, and end up providing the stir and emotion it goes for, but which so far is blocked from. It ignites enough sparkle to set itself in motion, but lacks some credence to be ready to tread the boards.

One Small Step plays at London’s Charing Cross Theatre until 9 October. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara